Hi All. ref to our mate Brian Daley his funeral
will take place at Sutton Coldfield Crematorium at 3pm 5th dec. (b75--6LG )all wellcome. once you met Brian you would not forget him or his story's.
RIP.YOU ARE ONLY THE BLINK OF A EYE AWAY.

sad news our mate Brian Daley(D)1958. from Tamworth has passed away 17/11/16. heart attack.
great story teller & writer will be sadly missed.
we had some good times at the vindi reunions. until we meet at the pool in the sky to sign on for one last trip. rip. Richie/Billy & lpool lads.

Reading my beloved late fatherís memoirs, I was prompted to Google Vindicatrix and was delighted to discover this website. Douglas James Pengelly joined the Vindicatrix in 1945 age 16 and two days later celebrated VE Day. Jim, as he was known, went on to have a long and happy career as a Master Mariner with BP, dying in 2014 at the age of 84. My father writes a lot about his experiences on the Vindicatrix and finding your website has really brought alive his early years. Thank you for your wonderful efforts in creating this website and to the 2,700 members, spanning 17 countries, who have passed through its doors.

Deck,1953. To day 63 years ago I was on my way to Sharpness for the first time. To join the Merchant Navy what a big man I was.Met some great guys and enjoyed all 10 weeks. Would love to do it all again. Cheers Mick S

Just a thought
?
?
Who in their right mind designed the layout of the Housing at TS Vindicatrix?
I have just witnessed a Movie of some German Kreighsmarine seaman who were incasterated into a POW Camp somewhere much like the Vindi!!Camp. Any clues??
Dave Benge R773853 Mar62 Deck

Deck hut c 1955 oct-Dec.
Does anyone know John Farthing as he is in hospital in Canada and I am sure he would be delighted to receive some E mails from Vindi Boys.I have sent him an E mail and some pics, I do not know but his wife Eileen was delighted to receive my mail as I said in my Mail "once a vindi boy always a vindi boy" so if you knew John great if you didn't know him send him a get well E mail I am not aware of his year or age please send E mails to "johnny_wildcat@hotmail.com for att of Eileen Farthing Cheers lads and calm seas Roy Peters

During the AGM at the recent reunion I mentioned that certain Merchant Navy memorabilia is held by the Guildhall Library in London. It was from this source, for a small fee, that I was able to purchase copies of the Lloyd's Voyage Records Cards relating to the vessels I sailed in. The cards show a vessel's ports of call and the dates those visits were made. Unless things have changed all you need do is provide your ship's name, its official number and the relevant time-frame. If you intend visiting the Guildhall Library for any purposes - it is purely a reference library - I'd recommend phoning beforehand to check they can meet your requirements. Whatever, contact details for the Guildhall Library are as follows.
Postal Address:The Guildhall Library, Aldermanbury, London, EC2V 7HH.
Telephone: 020 7332 1868/1870
Email: guildhall.library@cityoflondon.gov.uk

I passed out of training successfully and after signing on at KG5 in London and getting my seamanís book I was sent to The Cunard Offices to be told that I was not good enough to join Cunard until I had completed three months at their school. I left the Cunard office strolled down the quay and went into the first shipping company office I came to which was the New Zealand Shipping Company, I asked if there were any jobs available and the guy on the desk said they needed a galley boy for a ship leaving for Australia & New Zealand the next day, I jumped at it and to my surprise I had suddenly become employed even though I did not actually know what a galley boy was, but I soon learned and for the next three years sailed around the world every six months aboard the MS Haparangi until I left the MN and joined The Queens Own Hussars(Royal Armoured Corps) as soon as I was eighteen. Good days with so many fond and exciting memories

I trained on board the Vindicatrix in 1958 almost straight out of school, I found the training and discipline hard but enjoyable and worked hard to pass the training course. I needed a well-paid job at sea so that I could send money home every month to support my mother and younger brother after my Dad passed away in 1957. My most lasting memories were the talks and photos by the Doc on sexually transmitted diseases and the night I sliced of the tip off a finger while doing the cutting bread duty. I was whizzed of to Bristol hospital to get some stiches put in, they hurt like #$@%! as the doc there did not give me any anaesthetic saying that all Merchant Seamen were tough and I did not need any. I know I should not have, but I laughed my head off when as I was coming out of being stitched up, the lad I had been working with on the bread slicer was coming in having sliced through two of his fingers, poor sod got them stitched up but they went black and he had to have them amputated.

Yesterday a great Merchant Navy Day at Mossman and afterwards in Sydney with a hardened few. As a matter of interest I understand that the Reunion for 2017 will be on 4th-6th of August why has the dates not been incorporated with the recognised MN Day on the 3rd of September? I understand that some may not share that but MN Day makes you recognises not only ourselves but others that have since passed and others we may have sailed with.

I was at the Vindi November 1958/February59. discharge book No. 701931.
My wife and I have not missed a reunion since my first in 93`
This years reunion was as usual great.
only had two dissapointments no.1 at this years AGM we were told by Roy that 3 Vindi boys from Australia had arrived and wished to go to the AGM but was told they could not attend because they were only Australia Branch Members and not in the UK. I only wish I had stood up at the AGM and voiced my dissapointment that Australian Vindiboys had come for the weekend and not allowed to attend the AGM.
Dissapointment No. 2
I and my wife always walked to the church service but this year as i am now disabled we decided to take the shuttle bus, and what turns up a doubledecker bus and the last bus from the dockers club left at 1350hrs. so we and twenty other Vindiboys could not attend the church service, I realise this is down to the bus company.
But even after my grumbles it was a great reunion thanks to Roy and his commitee, also mike Spencers Saturday night pictu

Can anyone out there please help me by sending to me a copy of the Vindi Deck group photo for the course 31 May 1948 to 21 August 1948. I need the photo to add to slides I show in talks to clubs on my sea days and also in preparing a talk for this year's Merchant Navy day.
Grateful thanks.
Ken Trehearne
R412277

comments: Born in Southend but escaped to N.Ireland during war. Returned to Southend 1952 and lived there until emigrating to Australia in 1966. Went to the Vindi Dec 1953 - Mar 1954 and sailed on the RMS Oronsay, MV Regent Leopard and SS Somerset. Live on the Pacific coast of Australia very comfortably.
Now I have made myself legit as, to be honest, I didn't know that there was an Essex Branch which is good, (I am a member of the Queensland Branch) I have a question for you knowledgeable types. I have heard from somewhere that there is a Vindi Boy who is Mine-Host of a pub (the Criterion?) on the seafront at Southend.Can anyone help?

Now I have made myself legit as, to be honest, I didn't know that there was an Essex Branch which is good, (I am a member of the Queensland Branch) I have a question for you knowledgeable types. I have heard from somewhere that there is a Vindi Boy who is Mine-Host of a pub (the Criterion?) on the seafront at Southend.Can anyone help?

Born in Southend but escaped to N.Ireland during war. Returned to Southend 1952 and lived there until emigrating to Australia in 1966. Went to the Vindi Dec 1953 - Mar 1954 and sailed on the RMS Oronsay, MV Regent Leopard and SS Somerset. Live on the Pacific coast of Australia very comfortably.

'Vindi', catering, December 1960 - January 1961. Subsequently sailed with Port Line and Blue Star Line, nine trips in total.
Many thanks to the TSVA committee for yet another outstanding reunion - here's looking forward to the next one.
For anyone wondering about the whereabouts of Ted Snell from Bromham in Bedfordshire, a regular reunion attendee of many years: Ted was involved in a road accident on his way to the reunion on Saturday morning and ended up in Swindon hospital. Thankfully, his injuries weren't severe and he returned home later in the day. He had intended travelling home by train - his car having been written off - but on espying a bus bound for Oxford caught that instead, changing for Bedford at Oxford and travelling the entire distance, about eighty miles, on his bus pass, displaying commendable 'Vindi Boy' resourcefulness.

'Vindi', catering, December 1960 - January 1961. Subsequently sailed with Port Line and Blue Star Line, nine trips in total.
Many thanks to the TSVA committee for yet another outstanding reunion - here's looking forward to the next one.
For anyone wondering about the whereabouts of Ted Snell from Bromham in Bedfordshire, a regular reunion attendee of many years: Ted was involved in a road accident on his way to the reunion on Saturday morning and ended up in Swindon hospital. Thankfully, his injuries weren't severe and he returned home later in the day. He had intended travelling home by train - his car having been written off - but on espying a bus bound for Oxford caught that instead, changing for Bedford at Oxford and travelling the entire distance, about eighty miles, on his bus pass, displaying commendable 'Vindi Boy' resourcefulness.

Vindi 7th Jan 1963 the worst winter. Joined Cape Wrath March 13th 1963 catering. I have been to a few reunions last one 2015. We are definitely a dying breed. I will be over for the next one then it will be up to the guy upstairs. Take care one and all, a great bunch of guys that you could ever wish to meet. Great memories.

Vindi 7th Jan 1963 the worst winter. Joined Cape Wrath March 13th 1963 catering. I have been to a few reunions last one 2015. We are definitely a dying breed. I will be over for the next one then it will be up to the guy upstairs. Take care one and all, a great bunch of guys that you could ever wish to meet. Great memories.